Keller @ Large: Casino Debate Has Real Meaning

BOSTON (CBS) – Supporters of the proposed Mohegan Sun casino at Suffolk Downs said for weeks that the Revere referendum on their plan would pass easily, and they were right.

The same coalition that pulled off the big upset by vetoing the casino in East Boston last fall – neighbors and clergy skeptical that the good would outweigh the bad – fell far short this time.

Listen to Jon’s commentary:

Keller at Large Feb 26 2014

Perhaps the East Boston debacle was a wake up call that prompted the casino moguls and their local allies to work harder this time, and assume a bit less public infatuation with their product.

That sounds like a good idea going forward.

Over the next few months, casinos and slots are going to become much more than just a sketch and a distant promise. The slots license will be awarded by the Gaming Commission this week, and the casino licenses are set to follow in late spring.

As they become reality, expect expanded gambling to come under even more skeptical scrutiny.

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Jon Keller is WBZ-TV News' Political Analyst, and his "Keller At Large" reports on a wide range of topics are regularly featured during WBZ-TV News at 6PM and 11PM. Keller also broadcasts morning dri...